Folding machine



May 10, 1949.' H. D. LAWRIE FOLDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 18, 1946 H. D. LAWRIE FOLDING MACHINE May 1o, 1949.

Filed OOG. 18, 1946' May 10, 14949. H. D. L AwRlE FOLDING MACHINE Filed oct. 1s, 1946 5 sheets-sheet s l fnvenor'f @72.73 awr el May 1o, 1949. -H. D. LAWRIE 2,47o,o72

FOLDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 18, 1946 Patented May 10, 1949 `v`FOLDING MAGHINE wHenryDaLaawrie,fwilmette, Ill.

Application October' 18, 1946, 'Serialla- '704,101

Thepresent-inventi'on is concerned `with ama- *chineffior oldingshoelaces `and' the *lik-e'fnto condition for 'Wrapping "Shoelaces fare normally ipaire'dandthenifol'ded into ia-`size Ao'fapproxi- A'matelyTour androne-"half r'inches'in length. :A piece-of Ipaper is then -Wrapped 'and glued' about fthe Aceni'fralportionsoi lthe'lacesthus ffol'ded. ""fn 'this formf the "la'ces are 'then'.:n condition.' if'or marketing.

"The present invention relates'particularly ktn a i device for 'fo'l'ding'the #paired *laces though `'itj'is applicable r`for folding "products: other. than 'shoeflaces suchyforexample, asiribbon an'd'string, particularly- 'in tl'1e""form=commonly sold .as gift 'Wrapping materials.

an obj ect -`of the Linventi'on Yit. ,..is.. intended f-t'o provideai 'device capable of vfolding `shoelaces fand the lik-e under assembly line conditions, with a minimum of manual operations. lThe 'paired -lacesor the like arefed'into't'h'e present machine at one end'fand are discharged atthe other end @neatly folded'into formfor Wrapping and marketting. "This isfall accomplisl'iedl as al continuous operation With"a=p'lura.=lity 'of 4paired Alaces prog- -ressin'g Athrough the 'machine at onetime.

The foregoingA constitute -some of the principal Aoloijectsiof thepresent-invention. others of which `Will be'oome apparent'ffro'm the following description and the drawings, in---vwhich Fig. 1'- isamore oriess diagrammatic Vside elenNational View of la folding Amachine embodying the vpresent invention; digl. 2 'is a topplan view of the dev'oeshown in Flig.3 is an enlarged `more for less "diagrammatic sectional viewof folding station A'shown linllig.

fandillustrating a 'shoelace in-itsf-proper .pgosition at this station A, the view vbeing. taken on the line 3-3 of `Fig. 4;

vF'ig. 4 .'isa top lplan View ofth'atportion ofthe device shown in Fig. 3;

"I-Fig.,.5.-.is .a view Acorresponding :to Fig. .3f but i11- `lustrating stationBfshown in Fig. 1, the view being .a.sectional View takenon the line Y5-5.,of Fig, 6.;

...Fig 6isa. top plan View of thaty portion 'of the device showin. in` Fig.. 5.;

:Fi-g. Vaview oornespond-ingfto Figs. 3 andf5 ,l,but..i1lus.trating .station vCshownein IE'lig` 1, the View being a lsectionalViewtaken onfthelline 1-1 of Fign;

Fig; i 8 isfa -top -planwiew off'ithat' zpoiftion of device shown in Figi-"7;

Fig. 9 fillustratesa.-.pair1of shoelacesfin itheioutstretched conditionwhichftheyfassume Ven-tering lthe =-present=maclfrinefat-.station by rthe present device LYonvthe fslioelaesl atfstation A;

lfFig.' -111 is a1- diagrammaticiview illustrating fthe 'relative position :of'the shoelac'es and the fielding #device at lthe beginning `ofztl'iesecond `folding-zop- -eration performed a't-1stationB;

fFi'g. 1 1-2 iis -a fdiagrammatic `View '-"illustrast fling'itherelative posi-tion o-fparts. at station-IB `after the :second folding loperaitionfhas beenfperfior-med;

- lilig. is af-diagrammatic viewf-illustrating the `Aloegin'ningoff lthe third V-operal'ion performedat station `C Fig; 1 4- is -av diagrammatic view f illustrating the wcompletel-yfolded sholaces fasthey Iare-leaving station C; and

Fig. l'is-fa perspective View illustrating the s-hoes'laees in their fnalfi-fold'ed condition.

For =pufrposes 'of --disclosure 4oneemloodimentV -of `tlfre invention-has been selected. lAilthough =shoe laces-will `bespeciiicallymentionedas -tlf1eprodvvuct-*to lhe v`folded by the px-'esen-tdevice,` it is 4'recog- "nized that-other ril'o'bon-or 'string-like products "canv be Lfolded with lequal eiectiveness. It;` is also -contemqalatedy that yfabrics fand-*tapes* are suitable products to beiio'lded `bythe- 'presentdevice.

f-iRe-ferring -nowto Fig. -1 Io'f the Idreun/ings, thein- Ventron is illustrated-5in the formof a framework generali-ly indicated at "2-0--compris'irg1g 'a `base-#21 having `-upssanding -endpieces Y21a-nd 23 1at vvthe opposite wendsof`- the-base 21 rupper supporting platform" 2 i -li's mounted ioni lthe rupper ends -ofthefuprig-hts 22v and 23A andv a pair of intermediatesupp'orting platforms 2-5 and-'26 lextend #between the `1;-iprigl'1ts"22 and ZS-andaresupported `onanges 12W thatf'forrn partei-'the uprights`22 Vand T3.

For lpurposes of illustration the present device 'is 'illustrated lin connection wtl'r,shoela'cesandl for thisy reason three folding stations indicated at, ".JBLandT-'C :laire-shown A greater nuni-ber -ofi Lfoldifng 'stations may be iuti-lizediflmore-thanlthree'iolds .nanterequired roller 34.

-mediate supporting platform 26.

top upon which a pair of shoelaces 23 may rest in out-stretched condition. The upper platform 24 is provided with an elongated opening 36 (Fig. 3). In this opening 38 is mounted a supporting block 3| and a guide block 32 that are spaced apart so as to provide a slot 33 therebetween. The supporting block 3| projects downwardly from the upper platform 24 and is provided at its lower end with a journal on which is mounted a guide The periphery of the guide roller 34 is directly below the center line of the slot 33.

As shown in Fig. 4 the major portion of the upper ends of blocks 3| and 32 form a continuation of the planar surface 28 of the upper platform 24. A portion of each of blocks 3| and 32 are curved downwardly as at 35 and 36 respectively so as to provide a grooved track merging at least a portion of the upper planar surface 28 downwardly into the vertically disposed slot 33. Separator plates 31 and 38 project upwardly from the curved surfaces 35 and 36 respectively and these plates are centrally disposed so as to provide room for a shoelace on each side of the plates as indicated at 23a and 296 in Fig. 4.

As shown in Fig. 4 the guide roller 34 is disposed to one side of the slot 33 and the blocks 3| and 32. Projecting downwardly from guide block 32 is a pressure spring 39 that is secured at 40 to the guide block and projects below and across the slot 33, The lower end of spring member 39 indicated at 4| in Fig. 3 is left free.

Referring again to Fig. 1 a second guide roller 42 journalled in a block 43 is mounted on inter- This second guide roller 42 is horizontally spaced from station A Between this second guide roller 42 and station A is a pressure block 44 that is normally urged downwardly against the intermediate platform '26 by a pressure spring 45 that is secured `at 46 to the underneath face of the upper platform 24. The guide block 44 is free to move up and down and is guided in this vertical movement f.

by a guide post 41 that rides in a slot in an angle `member 48 that is attached to the supporting block3|I The intermediate supporting platform 26 is provided with an opening 49 (Fig. 5) in the region-l between station A (Fig. 1) and the supporting roller 42. In this opening 49 is mounted a supporting block 58 and a guide block 5| that are spaced apart so as to provide a slot 52 (Figs. 5

yter of which is directly below guide roller 53.

A pressure spring 56, similar to pressure spring 38, y projects downwardly from guide block 5I.

Mounted on the lower intermediate platform 25 is a guide roller 51 journalled in a block 58. This guide roller 51 is horizontally spaced with 60 is a pair of supporting blocks 6| and 62 spaced .respect to station B (Fig. 1). Between the guide, `roller 58 and station B is an opening 60 in the v supporting platform 25, similar to the opening 38 in supporting platform 24. Mounted in opening apart so as to provide a slot 63 therebetween.

A guide roller 64 is journalled in the supporting block 62 as best shown in Figs. 1, 7 and 8 and journalled in supporting blocks 6| is an upper 4 guide roller 65 and a pair of guide rollers 66 and 61. A pressure spring 68, similar to pressure spring 39, projects downwardly from the supporting block 62.

Resting on the lower intermediate supporting platform 25 between station B and guide roller 51 is a pressure block 10 that is urged downwardly by a pressure spring 1| that is xed as at 12 to supporting block 50. The pressure block 10 is similar to pressure block 44 and is guided in its upward and downward movement by a guide post 13 that rides in a slot in an angle member 14. The angle member 14 is fixed to the supporting block 5|).

Mounted on the upper supporting platform 24 is a supporting bracket 15 on which is journalled a guide roller or pulley 16, This guide roller 16 is disposed, with its circumference aligned directly above the slot 33. Also mounted on the upper supporting platform 24 is a second supporting bracket 11 that supports a guide roller 18. A third upstanding supporting bracket 18 is supported on the upper platform 24 and at the upper end of this bracket 19 is journalled a guide roller 86. At the opposite end of the framework 20 is a journal bracket 8| on which is journalled a pair of guide rollers 82 and 83. At the lower end of the frame 20 is a bracket 84 on which is 'journalled a pair of power rollers 85a and 85h. A motor generally indicated at 86 powers the power rollers 85a and 85h.

Referring to Figs, 1 and 2 one of the power rollers 85h, together with guide rollers 82, 16, 34, 42, 53, 55, 64 and 61, al1 lie in one Vertical plane and an endless chain or belt 81 passes over these various rollers and is powered by power roller 85b. The second power roller 85a lies in a common vertical plane with the guide rollers 83, 80, 18, 54, 51, 65 and 66 and an endless chain or belt 88 is threaded over all of the various rollers lying in this last plane.

Each of the endless belts 81 and 88 is provided with a plurality of pins illustrated at 88 on the belt 81 and at 90 on the belt 88. These pins are spaced apart at their respective belts and project laterally outwardly from their belts.

As best shown in Figs. 5 and '1 the upper ends of the blocks 58 and 5| (at station B) and 6| and 62 (at station C) are provided with downwardly sloped and curved grooved portions as indicated at 8l in Fig. 5 and 912 in Fig. 7, these curved portions being similar to those shown in Fig. 3 at 35 and 36 and form narrow tracks, so to speak, as best indicated in Figs. 6 and 8. A dividing partition 93 (Figs. 5 and 6) projects outwardly from the guide block 5| and is centrally disposed in the track portion so as to provide separate channels or tracks, through each of which a shoelace may pass as is best indicated at 94a and 94h in Fig. 6.

As best shown in Figs. 4, 6 and 3 the belts 81 and 88 are disposed to one side or the other of the various downwardly inclined tracks or grooves formed by the curved and inclined surfaces 35, 36 (Fig. 3) and 9| (Fig. 5) and 92 (Fig. '1) and the pins 89 and 90 project from their respective belts 81 and 88 respectively in a direction so that they pass through the vertical slots 33, 52 or 63 (Figs. 3, 5 and '1) as the case may be. The belts 81 and 88 are rotated by the motor 86 in a direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1. Additional rollers 95, 96 and 91 mounted to rotate about a Vertical axis serve to guide their respective belts so as to prevent lateral displace-f ment of the belt.

gaat@ The operation of the present device is as f follows:

A pair of shoelaces, for example, are laid side by side in out-stretched condition on the top surface of the upper `si'ippor'ting platform 23 with the center of the shoelaces being disposed approximately over the vertical slot 33 that is .formed between blocks 3l and 32 (Fig. ll), the

.shoelaces thus disposed are 'shown at 2S. The machine is operated so that both belts 8l yand. `88 are moving in the direction indicated by the arrows.

The first folding operation is performed on the shoelaces 29 at station A and is effected by the movement of pin 89 on belt 8l downwardly through the vertical slot 33 formed between blocks 3| and 32. This pin divides the shoelaces 29 in the middle and carries the laces in a downward direction as diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 10. proper position lying side by side by the dividing partitions 31 and 38 (Figs. 3 and 4) and the side walls of the grooves or tracks formed in the blocks 3l and 32 by the downwardly sloping surfaces 35 and 35. As belt 37 continues to advance in the direction shown in arrows the pin 89 moves downwardly through the passage or slot 33 (Figs. 3 and 4) and circles the lower portion of guide wheel 34 pulling the shoelaces 29 along behind the pin. As indicated in broken lines 98 in Fig. 3 the supporting block 3l is provided with a guiding slot along its lower face through which the shoelaces 219 are pulled as the pin 89 is moved in a horizontal direction between station A and the second guide roller 42 shown in Fig. 1. During this movement of pin 89 the pin passes the lower end of pressure spring 39 and moves the pressure spring out of its path. After the pin has passed the lower extremity of the pressure spring 39 the pressure spring engages the shoelaces 29 and holds them taut as they are pulled through the groove 98. As the pin 89 reaches the pressure block 44 the pin engages the rear curved edge of the block and forces its way underneath the block, lifting the block in a vertical direction. The pin then moves beneath the block throughout its length, the block being urged downwardly at all times by the pressure spring 45 so as to hold the shoelaces passing beneath the block in a taut condition. The pin 89 now approaches the second guide wheel l2 shown in Fig. 1 and assumes the position indicated at 89a in Fig. 11 with the shoelaces 29 pulled taut by the pressure block 4d.

During this movement of belt 8'! the belt 88 has likewise been rotated so that the pin 90 now assumes the position indicated at 99a in Figs. 1 and 11. This pin 90a. continues to move downwardly effecting a second fold is the shoelaces 29 as best shown in Figs. 5, 11 and 12, the shoelaces being pulled behind the pin and the pin 89 continuing its path around the guide roller 42 and then following along behind pin 99 at the same rate of speed. This second fold is completed when pin 99 reaches the lower end of the supporting block i) (Fig. 5) and then pins 90 and 89 move along the top surface of the lower intermediate supporting platform toward the guide roller 64 (in the case of pin 89) and guide roller 51 (in the case of pin l90). Pin. 89 is then directed about guide roller 64 (Figs. 7 and 13) and downwardly through slot 63 so as to effect a third fold in the shoelaces. Pin 90 now follows pin 89 and the last fold is finally completed so that the nally folded shoelaces emerge along The shoelaces are retained in their member throughout a selected path,

the iower platform or base '2l as best indicated in Fig. 14. The pins are then retracted and the shoelaces are ready for wrapping.

As previously mentioned a plurality f pins 89 and @il would be located along the length of each of the belts 8l and 88 res'petively r`so that as soon as one pai-r of shoelaces 2.9 has 'cleared the 'rst station A a second pair of shoelaces is in position to be carried into the station A by another pin on the belt 8l. The spacing of the pins and the particular number and arrangement of stations will, of course, depend upon the type of folding operations and the ultimate length of the folded article desired.

Though the present embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in connection with the folding of shoelaces it is, of course, recognized that the invention has much broader application even to the folding of sheet material, such as fabrics and certain plastics. The invention is also applicable to the folding of bed sheets and the like.

I claim:

1. A device for folding shoelaces and the like comprising a plurality of separate folding stations, a pair of belts disposed adjacent to each other and interconnecting the stations, projecting means on one belt for conveying the laces progressively through the stations, and projecting means on the other belt cooperating with the rst means to effect the folding at the various stations, and means for moving the belts, the projecting means remaining a constant distance apart throughout their travel through the stations.

2. A device for folding shoelaces and the like comprising a pair of belts disposed in substantially parallel adjoining planes, means for moving the belts, a rst engaging member on one belt, a second engaging member on the second belt spaced a predetermined distance from the first engaging member, means supporting the shoelaces in stretched-out condition, means guiding the first engaging member into the laces substantially at right .angles thereto so as to fold the laces substantially in the middle, and means guiding the second engaging member into the folded laces substantially at right angles thereto so as to fold the laces a second time, the engaging members at all times remaining a constant distance apart.

3. A device for folding shoelaces and the like comprising a pair of spaced pin-like lace engaging members, means for conveying one engaging second means for conveying the second engaging member throughout a different selected path substantially adjacent to the rst path, means initially supporting the shoelaces in linear position, the first conveying means moving the first engaging member into the laces substantially at right angles to the laces while they are thus linearly supported so as to effect a fold in the laces, thereafter guiding the two engaging means while maintaining them spaced a predetermined, fixed linear distance apart with one moving behind the other, and means reversing the relative position of the engaging means thereby effecting an additional fold in the laces.

4. A device for folding shoelaces and the like comprising a pair of endless belts disposed in substantially parallel adjoining planes, means for moving the belts at the same speed, a rst pinlike engaging member projecting out from one belt, a second pin-like engaging member pro- 2,470,072 8 jeoting out from the second belt and disposed REFERENCES CITED parallel to the rst engaging member, means guiding the mst engaging member into the laces The following` references are of record in the substantially at right angles thereto so as to fold me of uns patent:

the laCeS Substantially in the middle, and means 5 ST P guiding the second engaging member into the folded laces substantially at right angles there- Number Name Date to so as to fold the laces a second time, the en- 959,354 Klinck May 24, 1910 gaging members at all `times remaining a con- 1,088,456 Schefer Feb. 24, 1914 stant distance apart. 10 2,022,352 Kahn Nov. 26, 1935 HENRY D. LAWRIE. 2,238,251 Dahlman Apr. 15, 1941 

